THE FRUIT OF LOVE BEGINS WITH THE SEED OF HOPE!

Before the month begins, you see the signs of it.. the burgeoning hearts, the splashes of red in everything, the lush, the lust, the fullness of the upcoming Valentine's rush. A cynic would laugh at the profiteering of it all. After all, love is meant to be enduring and the shenanigans leading up to "the day" need often to be simply endured. Yet, in many ways, I find this focus on the expression of love, heartwarming. Although it is simply a day to celebrate, the lead up is filled with thoughts and feelings about the 'other' - anticipation, excitement, nervousness ... in short HOPE.